


A Wedding For Christmas

by alecmagnuslwb



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Fluff, M/M, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, basically Malec in a cheesy Hallmark movie with all the tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 14:36:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17123222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alecmagnuslwb/pseuds/alecmagnuslwb
Summary: When Magnus' best friend requests his help in planning her holiday wedding he finds himself spending a week alone with the handsome son of a vineyard owner in one of the most romantic landscapes two people can find themselves.





	A Wedding For Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Every Holiday season my grandma makes me watch at least two cheesy Hallmark movies with her, this year there was one with a couple who met because of their cats (which I totally tried to write for Malec but wasn’t working) and the other inspired this. Happy Holidays!

“I’m sorry, but you want me to help plan a wedding on Christmas, at a vineyard, in one week?”

“Yes!” Catarina says smiling brightly at Magnus who is just completely dumbfounded by her request. He’s happy for her, over the moon really. She and Dot had been together for years and after they gained full custody of their adopted daughter they decided waiting for the perfect moment to get married was nonsense. Of course when Cat had said they wanted a quick wedding before the end of the year Magnus assumed he’d be clearing out his bar for an impromptu, but very well decorated reception after a courthouse wedding, not this. 

“It won’t be nearly as difficult as it sounds,” Catarina says reassuringly. “You always leave Simon in charge of the bar the week before Christmas to spend time with us anyways. I know the owner’s son, the place is closed down the week and half before Christmas so the space is ours he’ll be the only one there, plus it’s already decorated it just needs a little bit of my best friends personal pizazz.”

“Never say I have pizazz again,” Magnus grumbles batting down Catarina’s playful jazz hands.

Catarina simply rolls her eyes lifting a hand to pat Magnus’ cheek, “If you really don’t want to do it, if you really think it’ll be too much I understand. We can just do it with what’s there already and Madzie can make handmade invitations after she does her homework.”

Magnus rolls his eyes right back, “Now that’s just not fair using my own niece against me like that.”

Catarina shrugs innocently, except she clearly knows exactly what she’s doing.

“Of course I’ll do it,” he continues softly. “I’d be a terrible man of honor if I didn’t and I want this to be perfect for the two of you.”

Catarina’s smile grows wide and delighted at that an excited yell bursting out and she jumps up and down for a moment before pulling Magnus into a tight hug. Her reaction of glee alone makes the time crunch schedule worth it.

“You are without a doubt the best, best friend a girl could have,” she says pulling back smile still wide. “Trust me you’re gonna have a great time up there, you’ll love Alec.”

She says the last bit leadingly but Magnus chooses to ignore it. This is about Cat marrying the love of her life, not spending time she should be focusing on her and Dot playing matchmaker the way she loves to.

“The owner’s son?” Magnus asks, Cat immediately nodding in response. “How do you know this guy exactly?”

“College,” Cat smiles. “He was in the nursing program before he switched to English Lit, our studies obviously diverted away from each other but we’ve stayed in touch over the years. He’s literally the most genuinely helpful person I’ve ever met; trust me the week will be a breeze.”

***

When he arrives at the vineyard two days later one look at the place and he thinks she might be right. The land is beautiful, green for acres that cascades across the hills with an old, but well-kept building standing strong near the front. Behind it sits a small cottage that looks like something out of a holiday painting. There’s no snow on the ground or anything, and the unseasonably warm weather means it’s likely there won’t be, but it’s still just as picturesque.  It’s old school and elegant, just like Cat and Dot.  He understands their immediate want to get married here.

It’s midafternoon on a Sunday and the sun is high in the sky making everything look even lovelier. He doesn’t know what the inside of the place looks like but he’s certain if it’s anything like the out this will be one of the easier last minute parties he’s pulled off. The wedding is Saturday, Catarina and Dot are doing all the inviting and picking dresses, suits and everything that isn’t food or décor back in the city while Magnus has taken on the task of ensuring the vineyard is up to snuff for his best friend’s wedding.

He’s pulling his bags from the trunk when he hears the front door of the main building open. He looks up ready to greet this longtime friend of Cat’s who he’s never met for some reason and not a word comes out of his mouth because walking towards him is the most gorgeous man Magnus has ever seen. He’s suddenly ten times more offended that Cat never introduced them. He’s tall, a dark well-trimmed beard along his jaw, wearing a deep blue plaid shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows and jeans. He looks like a sexy lumberjack, which up until now is a thing Magnus didn’t know he was into.

Magnus is suddenly tempted to tilt his sunglasses down to get a better look like he’s the lead in a bad music video. He doesn’t because it’d be far too blatantly obvious even for Magnus to pull such a move, but damn is he tempted.

“You must be Magnus,” the man says when he reaches the car, his voice deep with just the right amount of New York at the edges. “I’m Alec Lightwood, it’s a pleasure to meet you Catarina has told me great things.”

Magnus reaches out his free hand to shake Alec’s, “I’d say the pleasure is all mine.”

The statement is definitely more on the side of Magnus’ levels of blatancy and Alec responds to it delightfully a slightly shy smile curving at his lips as he regretfully let’s Magnus’  hand go.

“Let me show to where you’ll be staying for the week,” Alec starts gesturing towards the cottage as they begin to walk side by side. “I’m afraid we don’t really get guests there’s just the two bedrooms in the cottage so we’re gonna have to share. I promise that any annoying habits I may have as a roommate we’ll be made up for in being as helpful as I possibly can be this week.”

Magnus smiles doubting that there’s any habit he wouldn’t find a way to deal with if it means staying in close quarters with this gorgeous man. He had full intentions to make the wedding perfect a few minutes ago, already thinking up additions and ideas for the outside, but now his best friend has managed to ensure he’ll be alone at a vineyard with Alec and he intends to make the wedding ten times more perfect as a thank you.

***

 

Magnus settles in quickly, Alec giving him the grand tour of the grounds. Everything about the place is gorgeous, there are a few spots here and there that could use some extra, god help him for thinking it, pizazz but as is it’s something to admire. Alec tells him about the history of the family vineyard as they stroll how its hand crafted look isn’t a fake, but generations of their family adding on as the years go by. Alec’s mother runs the place now and has ensured it not only kept with tradition but also stood strong in the modern day as well.

The place’s natural beauty makes Magnus’ decision making simple. The gazebo and patch of green clearing on the edge of the actual vines not far from the main house is the perfect spot for the small ceremony itself and weather pending they won’t even need to put the brides in parkas.

Later that evening Alec takes him to the hall in the main building, the last spot he has to show him suggesting it as the space for the reception.

“I figure that way the weather can do what it wants after the ceremony itself,” Alec says pulling open the intricate double doors. “We usually use the space for wine tastings which can get fairly large so there’s plenty of room.”

Magnus steps in behind Alec and freezes. The rest of the grounds are lightly decorated for the holiday, simple twinkling lights and bows of garland. This room however is…something else.

“This is,” Magnus says eyes trailing over the elaborately and somewhat tackily decorated room struggling to find the words that won’t come off as too harsh if Alec was the one who was in charge of the space.

Alec saves him from finishing that sentence and potentially offending his family, “I know it’s a lot. My stepdad has a tendency to go a little hard on whatever space mom lets him take charge of.”

“That’s an understatement,” Magnus says staring down an elaborate life sized Rudolph in the corner that’s nose blinks rapidly at every wave of motion in front of it. “The ladies may appreciate a good Christmas wedding, but this might be a bit too much, no offence to your stepfather.”

Alec laughs, “I’m sure he wouldn’t take any, he’s aware he loses his mind a bit this time of the year. Mom’s a much more subtle celebrator.”

 “Nothing that can’t be fixed quickly,” Magnus says brightly as he swivels around to look at Alec then spots the somehow even larger reindeer in the opposing corner. “Okay maybe not quickly.”

They settle at one of the bars after that talking out plans and places Alec suggests Magnus can find the things he needs without going all the way back into the city. He slates food as a problem for figuring out tomorrow. Same with Rudolph, he really has to set that aside for the moment.

A little while later with a bottle of wine and the crusts of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the only food Alec could find without heading over to the cottage, between them Magnus realizes they’ve done all the can today, that the real work will take place over the next five days. They’ve talked a lot over the last few hours, mostly about the wedding, so with the work done Magnus decides to seize the opportunity to learn a little about Alec aside from the fact that he’s a hot lumberjack with an English degree and a cute laugh.

“So, how did you end up getting stuck here with me?”

“I wouldn’t call it stuck,” Alec smiles looking up at Magnus under his lashes. “The holiday’s aren’t really as big of a deal in our family as they used to be so when Cat asked me for the favor it was easy to say yes.”

And that just makes the man in front of him even sweeter; anyone who holds Cat in high drop everything esteem is a person to spend time with in Magnus’ book. But it also makes Magnus a little sad; family has never been his forte but with Cat, Dot, Madzie and a few other near and dear friends he’s built his own. He couldn’t imagine being without them this time of the year. The wedding is just a bonus piece to what any holiday season for him would be. He tells Alec all of that.

Alec smiles but it doesn’t seem sad or resigned he genuinely seems happy for Magnus.

“I guess it just stopped being a big deal for us after we all got older,” he says. “Mom and Luke tend to go on an end of the year vacation, my siblings are all scattered now with significant others and demanding jobs so it’s just harder to all come together. It used to bother me I guess, but I’ve got friends from work who always make sure I don’t quote on quote ‘sit at home alone sad eating the heads off of snowman cookies.’”

“Well it’s good that they don’t let you wallow,” Magnus says taking a sip of his wine, the mention of work reminding him he doesn’t actually know what Alec does so he asks just that.

Alec looks confused for a moment, “Oh, Cat said you knew about that. It’s how she and I reconnected a couple years ago actually.”

Magnus looks back just as confused, “She said you switched majors though?”

“I did,” Alec explains like there’s information Magnus has but doesn’t know he has. “We still saw each other around campus, but lost touch after graduation. Then a few years ago she came into the library with her foster daughter for one of the monthly story times and I’ve been attempting to ask every inquisitive question Madzie has about every book you can imagine since.”

Alec smiles at the end clearly endeared by Madzie, a fact that Magnus finds both attractive and completely understandable. His niece always has a way of working her way into someone’s heart instantly.

And that’s when it clicks for Magnus. For the past two years he’s listened to his niece go on and on about story times at the New York Public Library. About how the pretty librarian always answered her questions and gave her books to take home, a number of which Magnus himself has read to the little girl. But the pretty librarian never got a name, Cat’s only addition to Magnus’ knowledge of the mysterious librarian being that they were an old friend she never thought she’d cross paths with again. For two years his best friend has seen this man once a month, Magnus is again somehow more offended that she never introduced them.

“You’re the pretty librarian,” Magnus whispers out as the pieces all fall in place.

Alec sputters a bit as he sips his wine, “The what?”

“That’s what Madzie calls you,” Magnus explains with a smile. “She never gave you a name just gushed about how much fun you are when reading the stories.”

“She’s a good kid, it’s easy to make it fun when they’re engaged,” Alec says with a clear fondness for his work and Madzie.

“She really is,” Magnus agrees fondly. “Her descriptor was also very accurate for the record.”

***

They stay up the better part of the night talking more about their work and Madzie mostly. Alec making a promise at the end of the night to drop by Magnus’ bar after the holidays to order a drink that isn’t wine.

Monday passes by quickly and much to Magnus’ dismay separately from Alec. He heads into the little shops Alec had suggested for gathering the materials he’ll need to decorate and in the case of the hall de-decorate inquiring about the local food along the way. The food is looking to be the most difficult task by far because by 10 that night he’s got a car filled with decorations and supplies and a list of crossed out names for catering possibilities.

He leaves the decorations in the car slipping into the cottage quietly with the small bag of groceries he’d picked up along the way dreading the idea of waiting for something to cook. The cottage is quiet, lights all down low an indication that Alec has probably already gone to bed, just another disappointment for the day. He dumps the groceries on the counter contemplating grabbing the same peanut butter and jelly they’d eaten the night before as a quick meal once again when he spots a plate covered in foil with a note sitting on top of it.

He leans across the counter pulling the plate closer to him unfolding the note with his name sprawled in slightly messy handwriting on it.

_Figured you didn’t get to eat anything while you were out. Homemade chicken tortilla soup, probably not nearly as good as my mom’s._

_p.s. I think I cleared out enough space for the reindeer nightmares in the basement, might need your help moving them tomorrow though._

_\- Alec_

Magnus moves to heat up the soup and knows that the smile on his face doesn’t even slightly dim as he eats or while he’s in the shower. It only drops ever so slightly when he drops onto his bed phone in hand reading a text from Catarina.

Nothing’s wrong of course, things are actually going swimmingly on her end of the wedding planning, but he does have a bone to pick with his darling best friend so he dials her number.

“College I can understand,” Magnus says the moment she picks up the phone not even giving her the chance to say hello. “I was across the country and it would’ve been too hard. But two years Catarina Loss, two years this gorgeous, perfect man has been back in your life and you never once thought maybe I should let uncle Magnus take my daughter to story time so he can have an library meet cute.”

Catarina chuckles on the other end of the line, “Oh, I’m sorry is a cottage sharing, wedding planning meet cute not to your liking then?”

“It’s just fine to my liking, he’s very much fine to my liking!” Magnus says startling at his own volume level checking it before he continues well aware that Alec is just across the hall in a bedroom of his own and could hear him. “But two years Cat, that’s 730 days that you have been hiding him away from me.”

“Oh, so now you’re good at math?” she teases.

“I’m plenty good at math,” Magnus huffs. “And that is not the point right now, the point is-“

“Simon does all the accounting at the bar and we both know it.”

“Again, not the point-“

“And do you remember that time you helped Madzie with her math homework and she had to correct it all?”

“Catarina,” Magnus says fondly frustrated, his best friend is the absolute worst.

Cat chuckles a little maniacally, she’s having way too much fun at his expense.

“I’m sorry,” she says not sounding the least bit sorry as Magnus rolls face first into the pillows groaning at her. “But need I remind you that you have been building up a new business and briefly dating the devil during the past two years, it didn’t seem like the time.”

“Camille wasn’t the devil,” Magnus says flipping back over on the bed, he can actually hear Catarina’s dubious eyebrow rise through the phone. “She was worse.”

“That’s more like it,” she responds. “Which is exactly why I didn’t introduce you in the last two years, you were busy and working things out. I know he’s not your usual type, but that’s why I knew you’d like him he’s the type of person you deserve not the type of fly by night’s who never appreciate you enough. And there was no doubt in my mind he would be into you, I used to talk about you back in college and he was smitten from very afar, plus he never shut up about Oscar Wilde which I knew meant you’d be a good match alone, the second Madzie showed him a picture of you he was practically drooling and that really sealed the deal for me.”

“He’s devastatingly good,” Magnus sighs. “Too good for me probably.”

“No,” Cat responds immediately and positively. “No he’s not. You’re both just good and I think you could be pretty damn great together.”

Magnus sits up leaning back against the headboard, “I can’t believe you’re match making me on the week of your own wedding, it’s supposed to be about you and Dot and your happiness not me.”

“Oh it’s absolutely still about me,” Cat laughs. “Our match has already been made, the wedding is going to go perfectly and your happiness makes us happy, ergo holiday meet cute!”

The conversation swerves from there. They talk about wedding details, about the dress Cat found that’s perfect and how Madzie is over the moon about the bouquet she’s going to get to carry. Magnus tells her that he’s hit a snag with the food but she’s confident he’ll figure it out.

***

The next morning over breakfast Magnus thanks Alec for the soup the night before. He tells him that he may have never tasted his mother’s but he has no doubt she’d be proud. Alec’s pleased smile could put the rising sun to shame.

“So here’s the game plan,” Magnus says as they take all the stuff out of Magnus’ car and into the main house. “Rid the reindeers, decorate the hall. Tomorrow I food fight even if it kills me, which means probably Thursday will be the same, Friday gazebo and last minute disasters Saturday.”

“You’re planning for disaster?”

“If you plan for the disaster, it’s not a disaster,” Magnus says confidently as he opens the hall doors eyes set on the hideous glowing reindeers. Alec shakes his head in agreement then looks to the reindeers as well.

“Staring at them like that will not make them disappear,” Alec says.

“Maybe not, but doesn’t stop me from trying,” Magnus grumbles back eyes never leaving the monstrosities.

Alec just laughs pointing to Rudolph, “Let’s start with the runt then work our way up to Blitzen.”

One by one they lift the reindeers carrying them down into the small basement on the opposite side of the downstairs wine cellar. Seven reindeers later Blitzen is the only reindeer remaining leading Magnus to notice they’re one number short of the usual Santa line-up.

“There was a disastrous incident involving my little brother, a quickly confiscated lighter and Vixen many years ago,” Alec says grimly. “It’s a sour subject for Luke.”

So they move on to Blitzen. Blitzen, who is easily the size a full grown hippo,  a crack running along his midsection just begging for the plastic glowing creature to snap in half. They pick him up carefully maneuvering down the narrow stairs to the basement.

Magnus’ hold on Blitzen slips when he reaches the second to the last step sending him and Blitzen tumbling forward, but when he hears Blitzen crash to the ground he doesn’t crash himself just feels a pair of strong arms holding him steady around the waist. Magnus looks up meeting Alec’s eyes and it’s quiet for a few too many beats. The tension in the room is palpable. Alec steps back barely an inch arms still around Magnus’ waist and a crunch sounds beneath his foot.

Magnus looks down to see the now split in two Blitzen also has a completely demolished back foot as well.

“Are you okay?” Alec asks quietly still holding Magnus close.

“Fine,” Magnus says looking back up at Alec. “Thanks to you, Blitzen on the other hand, might be DOA.”

Alec looks down first at his arms still holding onto Magnus and quickly backs up entirely much to Magnus’ disappointment, then at the reindeer formerly known as Blitzen.

“Yeah,” Alec says clearing his throat as he pushes some of Blitzen to the side with his foot. “I may have dropped nursing, but I know enough to know that once you’re split into two pieces it’s pretty much over.”

“I have a business degree and I know that,” Magnus laughs then sobers up for an apology. “I’m sorry I killed another member of the pack.”

“It’s okay,” Alec says pushing the remains even further to the side. “Better he falls down the stairs than you. If Luke asks I’ll take the heat for it.”

The rest of the moving and redecorating goes without event though there are a few quiet moments where the tension seeps back in between them. When Alec’s not looking Magnus takes the time to admire the man and catches Alec doing the same a few quick times.

When they’re done the hall glows in twinkling blue and white lights. Tables lined with matching colors of the same, the temporary DJ station near a cleared space that will serve as a dance floor standing sturdy at the front. The colors match the simple aesthetic Alec’s mother had decorated the other rooms with and will line up with the intentions Magnus has for the gazebo as well.  

Magnus admires the room standing in the doorway and knows he’s done good work.

“You’re good at this,” Alec says in awe from behind him.

Magnus smiles shifting to look back at him for a moment, “Thank you.”

Later that night after a quiet shared dinner Magnus lingers in the doorway of his bedroom staring at the door to Alec’s across the hall. He can’t stop thinking about those brief moments he spent in Alec’s arms, the charged air that hadn’t totally faded the rest of the day.

What he doesn’t know is that across the hall with his forehead leaning against his closed door Alec can’t stop thinking about the very same thing.

***

“What about trying some of the local diners?” Alec prompts the next morning midway through Magnus’ ranting about his inability to find a decent caterer willing to work on a time crunch. They’ve decidedly not been discussing that the air between them is still carrying that charge.

“What about them?”

“Well a catering company isn’t gonna play ball, but the guest list is small and if we asked around I’m sure we could find someone up here willing to take on the task. If nothing else I bet we can appeal to their small town holiday spirit.”

Magnus contemplates it. It’s a good idea, in theory. Dot had emailed Magnus the night before guaranteeing that the guest list would max out at 40 making an order of that size doable for a small establishment.

“That could work,” he says. “But you’re driving. I went 400 places yesterday and killed a reindeer, I need a break.”

By the time it’s nearing the dinner rush all they’ve really accomplished is consuming an unhealthy amount of milkshakes and French fries and being told a record number of kindly no’s. Admittedly they’ve shared some of those milkshakes with double straws sat across from each other like a couple 1950’s kids with a crush which has been delightful, but every man has a limit to how many he can ingest.

They pull into the lot of _Penhallows_ ; a new establishment that Alec informs him hadn’t been up here when he’d visited at Thanksgiving. Magnus sighs as they walk towards the glowing building, the sun already starting to dip in the sky.

“If they say no you’re just going to have to make that soup of yours for 40 people.”

He’s joking, mostly.

“Well then we’re gonna have to stop and buy a couple crock pots,” Alec says holding the door open for Magnus. His gentlemanly ways keep making it harder and harder for Magnus to ignore his growing crush.

The diner’s mostly empty, save for an older couple in the corner and a group of teenagers with stacks of food and books scattered along their booth. Behind the counter stands a shorter Asian woman with a winning smile who greets them happily as they enter.

“Evening!” she says. “You can sit wherever you’d like I’m Aline and I’ll be right with you.”

“Actually Aline we were wondering if we could speak to the owner?” Magnus inquires.

“You already are,” Aline smiles. “What can I help you with?”

Magnus goes into the same spiel he’s reiterated a dozen times today, except this time he doesn’t even ask about trying her food he couldn’t eat another bite today if his life depended on it. She seems nice, so she probably makes good food. He tells her about his friends and their love story, embellishing a bit for sympathy points that might lead Aline their way. Alec jumps in to describe the well-stocked state of the art kitchen that sits in the main house to entice her attentions and is quick to clear that she won’t have to worry about drinks since Alec himself will be playing bartender for the night. He finishes with a number of guests, a simple enough idea for the menu and payment and hopes this isn’t going to be another kindly no.

“Okay,” she says simply.

“Okay?” Magnus asks, truly flabbergasted she’s agreeing to something that will leave her short on time. “You’re really willing to cook dinners for 40 people in three days on Christmas?”

Aline laughs, “It kinda sounds like you’re trying to talk me out of saying yes.”

“It’s been a long day, the fact that you’re saying yes kind of feels like a fever dream,” Alec interjects.

Aline just smiles, “My wife and I don’t really do Christmas, but the diner’s closed so none of my employees have to work. Get me started early enough and I’ll be able to cook for 40 no problem and Helen is basically the Flash of table service. Plus I love a good love story.”

She smiles between the two of them and Magnus can’t contain himself. He nearly leaps across the counter pulling Aline into a slightly awkward half hug. She pats him on the back slowly in response.

“Sorry,” he says regaining his composure and settling back on their side of the counter. “Like he said it’s been a long day.”

She waves off the apology, but then lifts one finger, “One stipulation though: I don’t do desserts. Bat’s my baking guy and as soon as those doors shut after lunch tomorrow I won’t be asking him to make a single cookie, cake or pie before Tuesday.”

Magnus frowns a bit, the cake doesn’t need to be fancy but is a pretty essential piece of the reception and if there aren’t holiday themed cookies on every table he’s fairly certain his niece will disown him, it was her one and only request for the ceremony after all. It’s tricky, but he’s sure he can find a work around for it. After all it’s not like there’s literally any other chef out there clawing to work on Christmas day.

He stretches out a hand to shake Aline’s in a binding agreement, “We have a deal.”

“You made up that part about Cat and Dot meeting in an elevator that happened to have mistletoe hanging in it, right?” Alec asks a little while later as they slip back into the car.

“100 percent,” Magnus says leaning his head back and turning to smile at Alec. “Saw it in a Hallmark movie once.”

***

Thursday morning Magnus finds himself in a far too cheery looking apron in the stainless steel expanse of the main kitchen. He’s not quite sure how it happened but somewhere between sorting out things with Aline to their arrival back at the cottage Alec had convinced Magnus that the two of them could pull off baking a simple wedding cake and a couple hundred cookies. Magnus blames it on some sort of milkshake high.

But he’s commited to it now.

“The cake has to be a cheesecake,” Magnus says pulling up the peanut butter chocolate cheesecake recipe he was specifically sent by Dot with a message that said ‘don’t mess this up or she’ll divorce us both.’

Alec peeks over his shoulder at the screen and huffs out a laugh.

“She used to make me bring a piece just that flavor from the deli on campus every time we’d study together,” he explains. “She always said it was her payment for having to put up with my inability to memorize medical terms properly.”

Magnus eyes Alec with a raised brow, “Good thing you didn’t become a nurse then.”

Alec pauses and for a second Magnus worries he’s offended him, but quickly Alec looks unaffected and shrugs.

“It probably is. I think I always liked the concept of helping people, but my brain just wasn’t wired for the science.”

“So you found a different way to help people,” Magnus says softly recalling Alec saying something similar two nights before about how helping a kid find a book that could change their world was the best way he knew to help someone.

Alec smiles and nods in response clearly pleased that Magnus was paying attention.

“What about the cookies?” Alec asks driving back to the task at hand.

“Madzie told me as long as they were shaped like different holiday things and at least four dozen chocolate chip one’s were just for her she didn’t care.”

Alec’s eyes go a little wide, but then he laughs clearly familiar with the litter girls sometimes adorably demanding ways.

“We’re not actually going to give a 7 year old four dozen cookies right?”

“God no,” Magnus says flipping the screen to a few basic sugar and chocolate chip cookie recipes that should suffice. “Cat would actually murder me, but Madzie was right about the holiday shapes as a must have.”

They get to work on the cookies first finding a seamless rhythm together that prevents any major mishaps. The industrial sized ovens allow them to bake at a rate that means they won’t be in this kitchen until the late hours of the morning.

Not every cookie is perfect however. Magnus gets distracted by Alec bending over to clean up a flour spill about halfway through the day effectively ignoring the oven and crisping an entire pan of reindeers. He’s not sure why he keeps killing fake reindeers, but it seems to be his thing. By the late afternoon they’ve baked literally hundreds of cookies in the shapes of presents, snowflakes, Santa’s and everything holiday themed in between using the cut outs Madzie had made him pack in his things.

The cheesecake however becomes a more complex task as they wait for the cookies to cool. Two layers of chocolatey, peanut buttery goodness seems easy enough but quickly a mess begins to develop. It turns out Alec should never be allowed to use an electric mixer. One moment alone with the mixture and he’s covered in it. Magnus can’t help but laugh at the affronted look on his face as soon as he’s finally able to wrestle the mixer plug from the wall.

“You could help me out here you know?” Alec says after Magnus’ laughter has gone on a few more minutes than really necessary.

Magnus sobers up, or tries to at least the words coming out between hiccupped laughs, “I’m sorry, I just, I understand why you insisted on just using a spoon before.”

Alec pouts adorably at him and exits the room mumbling something about going to change his shirt.

By the time he returns Magnus has redone the mixture and poured it into two spring pans and placed everything in the oven. He has a sneaking suspicion Alec took his time picking out a new shirt just to avoid any further contact with the cheesecake.

“Don’t worry, it can’t hurt you anymore,” Magnus teases when Alec re-enters the room. “Once it’s done we let it cool, stick it in the fridge and tomorrow we can put the two levels together and put the crushed Reese’s on it. That is if I haven’t eaten all of them by then.”

He finishes by popping another one of the mini treats in his mouth. Alec breezes past him, clean white t-shirt clinging perfectly to his chest now, grabbing the bags of cups and putting them in the fridge across the room pointedly looking at Magnus as he does it.

“Eat these if you want a snack,” Alec says returning to his side with the plate of burnt cookies that they determined were still edible, but not presentable.

Magnus eyes the offending looking reindeer in particular before gesturing to the center table now set up with an army of cooled down cookies and tubes of icing, “Only if we can slather them in enough icing to hide away the burnt aftertaste.”

They get to work on the literal hundreds of cookies getting fancier with the icing on some that they decide to set aside for Madzie specifically while simply applying a coat of blue or white icing to the rest. The work in comfortable silence for a while, nearly all the cookies done until the timer on the oven goes off for the cheesecakes.

“I mean the decorating has to come naturally considering your style and the fact you own a business, but how’d you get so good at this too?” Alec asks when Magnus returns to Alec’s side at the table the cakes cooling across the room.

“Baking?” Magnus asks picking up another cookie to decorate; Alec shakes his head a little flour falling from his dark locks. “I never used to be, I always preferred to make a savory meal, but then Cat got Madzie and after an unfortunate incident with some brownies and a small kitchen fire that Madzie found a lot funnier than anyone else did I decided I needed to figure it out.”

Alec looks at him, something a little unreadable wrapped in a face of awe, and smiles softly, “You’re sweet.”

Magnus outright blushes at the statement a thing he fairly sure he hasn’t done since he was a teenager and then he gets an idea. He dips the spoon he’s using into the tub of icing before him and turns to face Alec.

“So are you,” he says bopping him on the nose with the spoon blue icing dripping down and onto his white shirt immediately. Alec drops his mouth open offence written all over his face.

“Really, Magnus? I already lost one shirt today.”

Magnus would not mind if he lost a second shirt at all, not one bit so he just shrugs innocently batting his eyes at Alec. Alec however isn’t falling for it he reaches for his spoon dragging the icing down along the length of Magnus’ cheek a wicked smile on his lips. Magnus’ face takes the same incredulous look Alec was sporting just seconds ago now.

“Okay, now you’ve gone and started it Lightwood,” Magnus says picking up more icing to fling at Alec.

“I started nothing,” Alec says dodging the glob of icing and backing up from Magnus’ reach. They go on like that for at least fifteen minutes laughing and hurling half-baked jabs as they drop streaks of icing down one another’s fronts and sending often way off target globs at one another’s heads.

Magnus corners Alec into the crook of counter near where an extra tub of icing sits dipping his fingers in the bright blue mix and trailing his hand down the side of Alec’s neck. He stops when he reaches the center of Alec’s chest leaving his hand to rest there. They’re fit together head to toe, practically perfect with Alec’s heart thundering under Magnus’ palm. He tilts his head up just a fraction, Alec tilting his down the same and just as their lips are within an inch of one another Magnus’ phone goes off, a blaring tone that startles him back a step.

“That’s Cat’s ringtone, sorry, I should,” he says gesturing vaguely as he removes his hand from Alec’s chest and wipes it clean best he can on a towel beside him. He pulls back from Alec fully answering the phone as he walks to the other side of the kitchen looking back for a fraction of a second to see Alec frozen in place watching Magnus go.

Magnus talks to Cat for twenty minutes just catching up so everyone’s on the same page about the plans for Saturday while Alec finally moves from his spot and shuffles around in the back cleaning up the many spots of icing and organizing the cookies all together on trays. By the time Magnus hangs up Alec’s done most of the cleaning, except the dishes which can wait until tomorrow and has settled at the large metal table in the center of the space a plate of slightly burnt cookies and one mug of steaming coffee clasped between his large hands with another waiting on the opposite side for Magnus.

He settles onto the stool humming a quiet thank you to Alec before reaching out for a misshapen Santa who belongs at a crime scene not a wedding.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Magnus starts, disrupting the comfortable silence that’s settled between them in the now dimly lit kitchen ignoring the still blatant tension lingering in the room. “You sure are doing a lot for a friend you knew for a while in college and just recently reconnected with. I mean I know why I’m dedicating my life blood to this, Cat’s basically my sister, but you could’ve just handed over the keys and attended as a guest.”

“That’s not really a question,” Alec teases taking a bite of a burnt reindeer that reminds Magnus a lot of the dearly departed Blitzen.

Magnus rolls his eyes doing a come on motion in Alec’s direction, he doesn’t really need to ask the question to ask it.

Alec’s quiet for second thoughtfully chewing on the crispy reindeer then he starts, “Cat was the first person I ever came out to.”

Alec brushes the crumbs from his hands and takes a quip sip of his coffee before continuing like he’s bracing himself for this explanation.

“I mean I knew I was gay and I was pretty sure my whole family knew even if they didn’t say anything, but I’d never said it out loud. And then there I am a freshman in college in a major that I was in over my head about and this nice, mean to you when you don’t bring her sweets girl sits next to me in class and we become sorta friends.”

Alec starts fiddling with the edge of the plate in front of them gaze still trained on Magnus though.

“And it was weird because I barely knew her, but there she is struggling through trying to get me to memorize the bones in the human hand and I just said it out of the blue. Of course she was so cool about it and just casually dropped that she was bi as well and then she handed me the last Oreo from the sleeve I’d brought her, like it was all no big deal.”

“The last Oreo?” Magnus gasps lightening the moment a bit, he’s known Cat since they were 10 and she’s only ever shared a cookie with him once and that was after his mother died just after high school.

“I know right,” Alec smiles up at him. “I guess it was just easier to tell her in some ways because we hardly knew each other and if it went bad, it went bad. But then it didn’t and it just flipped this switch for me moving forward when I told my family. Because if someone who barely knew me could accept me just like that, then my family sure as hell had to and if they didn’t then they didn’t deserve me in the first place. So in some ways I feel like I owe her, but also it makes me happy to see someone who I know deserves all the kindness in the world happy and if I can contribute to even a little bit of that happiness I’m more than glad to, if that makes sense.”

Magnus gets it; he completely and totally gets it.

“I understand,” he says softly reaching out a hand to grasp Alec’s that still sits at the edge of the plate lightly. “Cat can really have an effect on people; I know she has on me. I mean I’ve known her forever so maybe it’s not the exact same but she was the first person I told that I was bi and it had the same effect for me telling my mom, even if mom didn’t really get to see me be me for very long. Of course she didn’t give me a cookie after I told her, but still.”

Magnus tacks on the last bit to make Alec smile, he’d already dropped the loss of his mother into a conversation about Alec’s the night they’d met and received only kindness and genuine sympathy. They’d even both managed to breach into uncharted dads who abandon their family’s territory that night. They’re subjects that Magnus rarely opens up about let alone to someone he’s known such a short time and he’s quickly gotten the sense it’s the same for Alec. 

Alec moves his hand from under Magnus’ reaching up to brush what he assumes is the remnants of flour from their earlier battle from his eyebrow drifting his fingers down Magnus’ cheek softly until his hand falls back onto the table hands no longer touching but close enough to if they wanted.

And it’s just like the other day and earlier pinned close together Magnus wants to reach out and tug Alec until their lips collide. It’s not a bad moment for it, in the calm quiet of a fun day now baring bits of the heavier stuff to one another. But it’s also the worst moment for it because the angle’s all wrong with a table they’d have to lean over far too much and somehow the words and the laughter feel more intimate than any kiss. So for tonight they just look, the desire still palpable.  

***

On Friday they resolve to sleep in or at least Magnus does. The only real wedding task left to do before the actual wedding is decorating the gazebo before Cat and Dot arrive in the evening with Madzie to settle into Magnus’ room for the night, Magnus taking the couch. He rolls out of bed around 10:30 the door to Alec’s bedroom already wide open and Alec seemingly long gone.

Down in the small kitchen a box of donuts sits with black sharpie sprawled across the top.

_@ The gazebo, whenever you’re ready, no rush : )_

Magnus takes his time dressing a little more comfortably than he usually does since they’ll be outside with dark jeans and a Henley, his makeup a little simpler than usual and downs a few donuts and cups of coffee quickly.

Walking across the vineyard is nice, peaceful. The sun is bright in the sky, the weather just on the side of chilly but not too cold and Magnus desperately hopes it stays that way for the ceremony tomorrow as well. In the distance he sees Alec in the gazebo, broom in hand dusting away the loose leaves left behind from the fall. Magnus idly thinks that he could watch Alec perform menial tasks like this for the rest of his life and be content, which is a somewhat terrifying thought to have after only knowing a person for five days.

“When you showed me around you didn’t tell me the story behind this gazebo?” Magnus says gaining Alec’s attention as he takes the two steps up into the structure.

“That’s because there isn’t one I’m afraid,” Alec smiles.

“Really? No forbidden romances or epic secret weddings took place here?”

“Nope,” Alec shrugs continuing to sweep along the edges. “Mom just likes gazebos so she had one built when we were kids. The most epic thing that happened here is when I was 9 my brother dared me to climb up the side and I fell off, resulting in this.”

He gestures to the light bisecting scar on his left eyebrow scratching at it before going back to sweeping.

“I wouldn’t take you as the reckless climb the side of a gazebo type?”

“Oh I’m not,” Alec laughs looking back up at Magnus. “But when you meet my brother one day you’ll understand why it’s deeply important to just shut him up sometimes.”

‘When you meet my brother one day’ implies to Magnus that he might not be the only one looking at the other man and seeing the potential of a future after only five days. Alec shifts back to his sweeping quickly, like he hadn’t meant to let the implication slip out loud.

They work quietly for the rest of the afternoon, Magnus instructing Alec on where to place things and carefully holding the ladder as they take turns climbing up the sides. They don’t talk about the very blatant almost kiss they had the day before, but Magnus doesn’t worry that Alec’s suddenly not interested since the universe keeps interrupting their almost moments, not when he catches Alec staring at least half a dozen times before they finish up.

They both step back a few hours later taking in the work. The gazebo matches up in color with the interior decorating, but Magnus has kept it fairly simple out here a few flowers around the arch and lines of small lights around the edges. The landscape and the beautifully crafted structure do most of the work for him.

“All done?” Alec asks quietly standing close enough next to him that he can feel the warmth radiating off his body.

“All done,” Magnus says sighing contently. “We can put out the chairs in the morning, but that’s it everything else is ready, settled or simply needs to be taken out of the fridge at the appropriate time.”

Magnus turns to look at Alec the sunlight catching on his dark hair and in his hazel eyes. Once again Magnus is overcome with the want to kiss him and this might be the first time that they have the chance to actually go for it without sudden interruption.

But just as Magnus is about to move in, to take the action, a car horn sounds and three familiar voices carry loudly over to where they stand.

Because of course they arrived earlier than expected, of course they did.

They don’t even have a chance to brush off another almost kiss before Madzie is barreling towards them with glee. She skids to stop colliding right into Alec’s legs grabbing onto them in a tight hug. Magnus is a little offended that his niece seems more excited to see Alec than him.

“Hey there little one,” Alec says as he bends down smiling as he lifts Madzie up and twirls her around. Magnus crosses his arms and watches them with an endearing smile until he hears the shuffling of two much more calmly paced feet behind him. Dot kisses him on the cheek in greeting just before Cat bundles him up in a tight hug.

“You are not subtle,” she whispers before pulling back with a giant grin.

“Shut up,” he says with little intent which only makes her grin more.

“Momma, momma,” Madzie yelps running up to her tugging on the bottom of her jacket. “I want to go look at the all the trees and vines and things, but Alec said I had to ask first so can I please?”

“I said she should ask later,” Alec chuckles walking up and sharing a quick hug with Cat. “Figured you’d want to get settled in first.”

“No worries go on ahead, I assume Magnus knows where to set us up,” Catarina says patting Madzie on the head before she runs sidling back up to Alec. “It’ll probably be easier to get settled if this one’s occupied anyways.”

Madzie takes no offense whatsoever, clearly hoping that she could get out of having to unpack her own things in any way, she just smiles reaching up for Alec’s hand and pulling him away before he can say anything else.

***

Magnus takes the two women to the cottage his few bags already packed up at the door and lets them settle in. He offers them a tour, but they decline wanting to see the magic that Magnus and Alec have pulled off on the big day not ahead of time.

Magnus has only really slept in this room since he’s been here, hasn’t even taken the opportunity to pull back the curtains on the window and appreciate the view. Cat and Dot shuffle around hanging their clothes for tomorrow and settling their stuff in as Magnus gazes out. From here he can see Alec and Madzie walking along the vines, they’re too far away to make out any detail but he bets that Alec’s sporting one of those million dollar smiles of his.

“You’re smitten,” Cat says sliding up next to him.

“I am,” Magnus says not bothering to deny it, he’s well aware it’s written all over his face.

“You two made out yet?” Dot says coming up on his other side far less subtle than her fiancée.

Magnus rolls his eyes, “No, Dorothea we have not made out yet, you’re the worst.”

Dot just laughs at him, “I’m the best and why not? The heart eyes from you both are very obvious.”

Magnus huffs, it’s true they’re not being subtle but fate or the universe or some higher power seems to intervene every time they get close enough to actually touch, so he tells them just that.

“Oh sweetheart,” Cat says her mom voice coming out in full effect. “That’s a bunch of bullshit and even if it wasn’t, if the universe didn’t want you two to make out the universe is a dumbass and I am much smarter than it.”

“It’s true, she really is,” Dot says dreamily in agreement.

“Okay,” Magnus says seeing their point. “Maybe you two aren’t the worst.”

They both laugh leaning into Magnus a bit, a comfort of family he can always rely on.

“So you’ll go for it?” Cat asks after a little while, Alec and Madzie no longer visible from the window.

Magnus pauses for a moment. He wants to go for it, more than he’s ever wanted to with anyone before, but there’s still the fear that always comes with embarking on something new, the fear that it might end. But that fear is what’s been holding him back from even trying since the Camille disaster and with Alec it’s almost impossible to even see an end. It’s terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

“I’ll think about it,” he says stepping back from the two of them a bit to starting heading downstairs where he hears the front door open and close, a sign of Alec and Madzie’s return. “But not tonight, and not before we’ve officially married you two off, that is my main priority right now.”

They both grumble about it a bit, but follow behind Magnus close.

***

Dinner between the five of them feels right. They’re not a couple, or at least not yet, but Magnus can imagine a future of shared dinners and double dates just like this. They eat and they talk about the wedding but mostly trade old stories from college and beyond. Madzie becomes bored with talk that doesn’t concern her once the foods all gone and Alec jumps to keep her occupied, his clear love for his niece is making it impossibly more difficult for Magnus to be cool about the whole thing.

Later after Madzie’s fast asleep in the middle of the bed the three intend to share for the night, tired out by Alec’s tour and the series of rhyming hand games they played after dinner, Cat and Dot retire upstairs leaving Magnus and Alec alone to clean up.

Magnus moves to set up on the couch for night, perfectly content that he can get enough hours of sleep without problem when Alec speaks up.

“You should take my room, I’ll take the couch.”

“It’s okay,” Magnus quickly assure him. “I’m not kicking you out of your own bed.”

“It’s not kicking out if I’m offering, you’re the best man you need more comfortable sleep than I do.”

“Alec, you’re literally longer than this couch, its fine.”

“And you’re longer than it too, please just take my room.”

They’re in a stalemate. It’s a thing that’s only come up in brief moments the past five days but they both exhibit a stubborn streak a mile wide which means this argument could last well into tomorrow if one of them doesn’t just bite their tongue and concede.

“Fine,” Magnus says a triumphant look crossing Alec’s face before his next words come out of his mouth without his permission. “We’ll share then.”

Alec freezes, eyes wide, Magnus is a little stunned himself. Them sharing a bed is an absolutely terrible idea until they’ve sorted out this thing between them.

“I mean I’m guessing the bed in your room is as big as the one in mine,” Magnus soldiers on committing to his terrible idea. “Plenty of space for the both of us not to get in each other’s way.”

Alec just nods his head in agreement and after a few quiet moments that Magnus desperately wants to fill with more rambling speaks.

“Okay, we can do that, that’s fine.”

It’s the most shaky and confident he’s ever heard Alec sound.

They quietly get ready for bed taking turns in the adjoining bathroom to change. Magnus thanks whatever higher deity above he doesn’t believe in that Alec steps out of the bathroom in a shirt and long pants, because shirtless Alec in the same bed as him is something he absolutely could not handle. Magnus decides to forgo his usual habit of sleeping in, well nothing, and putting on long pants and a t-shirt as well to save them the trouble.

They settle into bed somehow favoring the opposite side of the bed from the other. It’s a little thing that feels coincidental but could be a whole lot bigger.

They’re both laying on their backs a sea of distance that Magnus would like to cross, but can’t quiet bring himself to, between them.

“Goodnight, Magnus,” Alec whispers into the dark eventually flipping so that when Magnus turns his head he only sees the expanse of his back, Magnus does the same.

“Goodnight, Alexander,” he whispers back, it’s not the first time he’s used the man’s full name before, has quite liked the way it rolls off his tongue and the way Alec’s lip up turn every time he does, but it feels infinitely more intimate than any previous time.

***

It shouldn’t surprise Magnus as much as it does that he wakes up the next morning in a position that’s a far cry from the one he’d fallen asleep in.

He and Alec are facing one another now not even an inch of space between them, legs tangled together in the sheets. Magnus’ head is pillowed on Alec’s left arm while the right is draped across his hips. The arm not curled close to his body is pressed against Alec’s chest where he can feel the steady sleeping beat of Alec’s heart.

He’s trying to figure out how to slip out of Alec’s hold without waking him just as Alec’s breathing grows a bit deeper and his eyes slowly flutter open blinking in the sunlight. The second he focuses his eyes Magnus can see him take in their position, a small shy smile on his lips.

“Morn-,” Alec starts to say but is cut off by the door flinging open unceremoniously Madzie in her bright green pajamas throwing herself up onto the bed forcing them apart.

“Alec!” she yelps planting herself on his chest, Magnus sees him take in a sucking breath but he keeps his face schooled not wanting to damper her excitement.

“Hey, what about me?” Magnus grumbles sitting up and moving to get out of bed. He understands why she’s so smitten with Alec, Magnus himself can’t stop having romantic crises about the man every ten minutes, but he’s still her uncle and he wouldn’t mind some attention.

“Good morning, Uncle Magnus,” she drawls out sounding oh so much like her mother, there’s no biology needed to prove she’s Catarina’s girl.

“Alright, you little sass menace, you’re coming with me,” Magnus says holding out a hand to lift her from Alec’s chest. Alec sends him an appreciative smile once her feet are firmly back on the floor. “We need to go get you and your mom’s ready.”

Despite the ceremony not set to begin till 4, there’s just enough to do that they’ll be cutting it close.

For the next hour Magnus gets his three favorite girls started sending Alec down to the main house so Aline and her wife, Helen, can start getting everything set up and get started. Despite her no desserts rule she even kindly offers to finish putting the cake and cookies together.

At some point Alec pops his head in while Magnus works on a complicated braid for Madzie’s hair and announces that he’s heading over to set up the chairs when he returns he has Ragnor in tow, because of course the officiate should be there early but only Ragnor would think four hours is the appropriate amount of early. Hell, Raphael is taking the pictures before the ceremony and hasn’t even shown up yet.

“So that’s the boy you’ve been drooling about all week?” he says none too quietly in the doorway Alec very much still in hearing distance. “He’s cute.” Magnus throws a hairbrush at him.

Eventually Raphael does arrive and blissfully takes Ragnor away to be bothersome somewhere else and welcome any early arriving guests. With Madzie practically ready and Cat and Dot fixing each other’s hair and makeup they shove him out the door and across the hall so he can get ready himself.

He hasn’t even taken a shower yet and still needs to go check on everything else to make sure no décor has fallen apart or the ghost of Blitzen the plastic reindeer hasn’t appeared in the hall. He re-enters Alec’s room digging out his tooth brush from his bag and popping it in his mouth. He assumes the other man is long gone setting up the bar, so he startles when the bathroom door opens and Alec steps out.

Alec who’s wearing a very well-fitting pair of grey pants, his white shirt not fully buttoned up exposing a bit of dark chest hair. Shockingly though that’s not the thing that throws Magnus for a loop, it’s his face. His completely beard free face that Magnus can’t help but stare at the toothbrush hanging dumbly out of his mouth.

“What?” Alec asks a little confused.

“It’s just,” Magnus says pulling the toothbrush out of his mouth and gesturing at Alec with it a smile growing on his lips. “I’ve never seen your face like that.”

“Oh,” Alec says scratching at his hair free chin, it’s a nice chin. “Yeah, I figured could I stand to look a little less like a lumberjack for the wedding.”

Magnus hums in understanding still admiring Alec’s face. He’s no less or more gorgeous without the well-kept beard, he’s still just plain gorgeous. Just now Magnus can even more closely see the definition of his jaw and cheekbones.

“You done?” Magnus says gesturing towards the bathroom door while he grabs his own suit from the back of the it; Alec nods as Magnus moves past him and through the door but pauses before shutting it. “For the record,” he says causing Alec to turn. “I like lumberjack Alec just as much.”

The last thing he sees before shutting the door firmly is Alec’s pleased smile.

***

Magnus doesn’t see Alec again before the ceremony, both too busy finishing up a million little things. Magnus blissfully is fully dressed now after realizing he’d forgotten his rings when they took the photos outside, he’s confident enough to admit he looks damn good in his dark blue leaf patterned suit with his hair styled just right and makeup perfectly dark.

Everything is as perfect as he’d hoped he could make it for his dear friends when Magnus holds out his arm for Cat to walk down the aisle, Madzie heading out in front of them basket of petals held tightly.

“You ready?” he asks knowing the answer full well as Raphael holds out his arm to walk Dot down the aisle next.

“Bet your ass I am, let’s go get me married.”

She is a vision in an off the shoulder blue gown, but the most gorgeous thing about her is the smile on her face she sport the entire time as she gazes at Dot. She looks warm despite the temperature that’s slowly dropping and it’s all because of her fiancée. Dot looks just as gorgeous in a white one piece jumpsuit, low cut and sparkling, the smile on her face a match to Cat’s.

Once they’re all settled at the front, Magnus catches a glimpse of Alec near the back, shirt all the way buttoned now with a grey jacket that matches his pants, his eyes glued only to Magnus. He tries to pay attention to Ragnor’s long opening speech, but most of it falls to the background every time he looks up to see Alec’s eyes once again glued to him. When the vows begin they both seem to silently agree to shift their attention to the brides.

Cat and Dot both keep it simple, they talk about their love for each other and for their daughter, who’s growing a little more restless at every passing minute she’s not allowed to move around.

The words are no more polished or poetic than any simple I love you he’s heard them trade a million times before, but it’s the way they say the words that lets all the intimacy and heart pour through. They exchange rings and Magnus lifts Madzie up into his arms to make sure she doesn’t dart off the second it’s over casting a quick glance to Alec who smiles back brightly.

“With the power vested in me by the state of New York and a random website, I now pronounce you wife and wife,” Ragnor booms as the guests begin to clap.

They kiss, Dot dipping Cat and laughing against her lips just as the sun begins setting, it’s picturesque in every way Magnus wished it would be for them.

***

The next two hours pass in a breeze. Dinner is served and is absolutely incredible; the cake is cut Catarina being much more cautious of Dot’s white suit when feeding her wife than Dot is of Cat’s poor dress. They’re first dance is put on hold so Cat can clean her dress rushing over to the bar rolling her eyes at her wife who plainly laughs.

Magnus follows her over, a blur that he’s pretty sure is Madzie zooming past him three cookies clutched in her small hands. He leans against the bar as Alec, who’s lost his grey jacket and a few of the top buttons of his shirt, pours out some club soda for Cat to clear up the chocolatey spot in the dead center of her dress.

“Thank you,” she says gratefully.

“No problem,” Alec smiles going to pour a drink for one of Dot’s co-workers on the other side.

“Here, let me,” Magnus says watching Catarina pitifully attempt to clean her dress. He dabs at the spot the stain almost nearly disappearing once he gets to work on it.

“So,” she says drawing out the ‘o’ as he finishes up. “You go for it yet?”

Magnus looks up and sits the napkin on the bar, “I did say I was going to get you two married off first didn’t I?”

“You did,” she says looking down and smiling at the clear spot on her dress then back to his eyes. “But I have it on good seven year old authority that you and Alec were pressed quite close together this morning.”

“Ugh, she’s such a menace,” Magnus says. “We were just sleeping, I can’t control where my sleeping form rolls.”

“Well, it rolled right into him,” she says tipping her head towards Alec who starting to work his way back to them. “And you better get to rolling into him in your conscious form next.”

Alec returns then swiping the napkin up from the bar and throwing it away behind the bar.

“All good?” he says gesturing to her dress.

“Perfect,” she smiles. “Thank you.”

“You really don’t have to keep thanking me,” Alec says humbly.

“I really do,” she says reaching out for his hand and grabbing one of Magnus’ with the other. “Truly, I don’t think you both can ever imagine how grateful Dot and I are for everything you did this week. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to repay you.”

Magnus half expects her to make some comment about paying them back at their own wedding but she saves him the flushed embarrassment, Dot would not were she here in the moment.

“You absolutely don’t have to,” Magnus says squeezing her hand. “We’re just happy to see you happy.”

Alec nods in agreement his fingers squeezing her other hand. She’s pulled from the moment when the DJ, Dot’s cousin Elliot, announces that it’s time for their first dance.

“Now the brides have requested that they aren’t on this dance floor alone for longer than 30 seconds so find a partner and join in,” he says. Magnus leans back against the bar watching Dot and Madzie pull each other close more swaying to the soft melody than really dancing. Alec leans forward next to him and their eyes meet. Magnus is fully prepared to ask Alec to dance when Madzie comes blurring up to the bar tilting her head back all the way to look at Alec.

“Alec will you dance with me?” she says batting her little adorable eyes.

“Oh, Madzie, I-“

“I’ll man the bar, go ahead,” Magnus interjects not wanting to disappoint her.

“Are you sure?” Alec asks starting to move to the other side of the bar. 

“Positive,” Magnus says brushing past him to switch places. “We are however going to have to have a serious discussion about you stealing my niece.”

Alec smiles as Madzie reaches up to grab his hand, “I’ll save a dance for you Uncle Magnus!”

She doesn’t even look at her uncle as she says it, just tugs Alec along to the dance floor. He turns quickly before she’s pulled him away completely, “I’ll save you one too.”

He winks before turning back allowing Madzie to pull him away. He freakin’ winks, if Magnus was a southern belle he’d be clutching his pearls. He pours a few drinks as he watches Alec on the dance floor twirling and spinning Madzie around to her absolute delight.

***

It’s nearly two full hours later when Magnus is finally granted a second to breathe. He’s tried and failed on four separate occasions to seek Alec out for that promised dance. He’s been intercepted by both brides, Madzie for her dance, Aline for a slight kitchen mishap and Raphael once who simply slid his camera to a picture of Alec at the bar gazing out at Magnus.

“I’m going to delete this, he’s so into you it’s exhausting,” Raphael drawls, an undercurrent of happiness behind it.

Magnus slips out of the main hall and onto the front porch for a breath of fresh air his eyes closed. It’s gotten much colder out a chill that’s definitely below freezing in the air, but a chill that feels nice on his overheated skin at the moment. Those light flurries the news had warned of that morning seeming a lot more likely.

“Madzie dance you out?” a deep voice says. Magnus opens his eyes to find Alec walking up the steps to the porch, seemingly coming in from a quick walk, joining him. He’s seen Alec at almost all times of the day now, but this particular evening cast in moonlight across his pale skin might be his favorite. 

“She’s given up on dancing,” Magnus laughs. “She’s moved onto seeing how many cookies she can sneak past her mom’s before she explodes.”

“That girl,” Alec chuckles looking up at the sky quietly for a few moments.

“You know,” he says eyes still trained on the sky, tone deceptively casual. “You still owe me a dance.”

Alec’s eyes drift down to Magnus as he turns to face him holding out a hand, “That I do.”

“Out here?” Magnus says turning to Alec and taking his hand.

“Why not?” Alec shrugs pulling Magnus in by the waist. Magnus twines the fingers of their hands together and wraps his other arm behind Alec’s neck brushing the hair there lightly. Through large windows they can hear the echo of a slow romantic song that they move to slowly.

“I never did thank you for all your help this week,” Magnus says into the quiet looking into Alec’s eyes.

“It was my pleasure,” he responds before spinning Magnus out and back in impossibly closer.

They’re closer than they’ve ever been before, even closer than the night in the kitchen and in some way closer than they had been when they woke up tangled together. Because now it’s not a possibility of a kiss or a future, it’s essentially a guarantee. Magnus has no doubts that while Cat and Dot have been encouraging him to go for it, they’ve found time to do the same for Alec.

It’s still terrifying to take the leap, but Magnus feels confident that just as he had when he’d slipped on the stairs before Alec will catch him every time and Magnus will do the same for Alec. 

“Alexander,” Magnus whispers in the small space between them. Their clasped hands slip apart, Alec moving his to wrap around Magnus’ waist firmly and Magnus bringing his hands together behind Alec’s neck. “Get dinner with me when we get back to the city.”

It’s not really a question, because he’s certain he already knows the answer.

“As in a date?” Alec asks a smile in his eyes.

“As in a date,” Magnus responds confidently, they stop moving no longer swaying to the soft song still coming through the windows.

Alec leans in closer lips barely a centimeter away from Magnus’, so close that he can feel the movement of Alec’s words, “I’d love to.”

He hears Alec stutter out a breath as Magnus closes the tiny bit of distance. The kiss starts off slow, moving their lips together sweetly match for match. Magnus has never really understood or experienced the concept of feeling fireworks just by the touch of someone’s lips but he understands it now. Feels a warmth surrounding him and growing in his chest that he’s not sure will go away anytime soon despite the continually dipping temperature. Alec part his lips, an invitation Magnus gladly takes the kiss becoming move involved. After a few minutes, or hours Magnus really can’t be sure, they part slightly foreheads still pressed together.

“That was,” Alec says his voice coming out raspy and equally as effected as Magnus feels.

“Yeah,” Magnus says back on a breath spotting the fall of snowflakes from the corner of his eye. “Yeah it was.”

He leans back in and fully intends to never lean away.

**Author's Note:**

> And then a year later they totally get married in that gazebo as well with Cat and Dot throwing the whole thing and Madzie eating impossibly more cookies. 
> 
> Also, for the record the song I listened too during Cat and Dot’s wedding/first dance is Right Here by Betty Who and the song I listened to while writing the final scene/Malec dance is If Our Love Is Wrong by Calum Scott aka I was full into my Malec playlist while writing. 
> 
> Also Merry Christmas Eve to all those who celebrate and happy Monday to everyone! 
> 
> Also if you’re curious where the Lightwood clan (and Claia) are during the holidays I wrote this whole section out that never fit anywhere, but here it is because I took time to think it all up: Maia is Alec’s co-worker and BFF who’s girlfriend, Clary, helps curate art for the library sometime and they’re usually who he spends the holiday’s with. Jace is in the military, currently stationed in Japan, but always volunteers to work through the end of the year so someone with a spouse or kids can go home for a bit (he’s a good dude like that). Izzy lives and works in NY but always spends it with her husband, Meliorn’s family in Colorado (because a mundane Meliorn definitely hails from one of the legal weed states). Max hasn’t spent a holiday with the family (except for Thanksgiving because he will never miss out on Luke’s turkey skills) since he’s been legal, usually spending them with the family of his current boyfriend or girlfriend of the moment. 
> 
> Anyways thank you as always for reading, see you in the New Year with a few random one-shots that have been sitting in my drafts! Find me on tumblr: alecmagnuslwb


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